Devil's Urn (Urnula craterium)

Growing on rotting hardwood at the base of a ridge in a dense mixed forest.

comments (8)

Christine Young

Lion

I'd love to find these someday! Posted 6 years ago
1. Flown Kimmerling
  
  Lion
  
  THey are all over our land from spring through early summer, so if you ever make it out this way... :D Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Cool! I wish I could warp myself to Georgia! Posted 6 years ago
  2. Gary B
    
    Lion
    
    This might be Bulgaria rather than Urnula especially if it is fruiting from spring to fall. Posted 6 years ago
  3. 1. Flown Kimmerling
      
      Lion
      
      I disagree with you on Bulgaria sp. These are only up in early spring (right before morels pop)--and they are quite common during this time. This is a pretty typical morphology (at least in my region).
      
      You can check out one of Alan Rockefeller's sequenced specimens here:
      https://mushroomobserver.org/311139?q=jEY9 Posted 6 years ago
    2. 1. Gary B
        
        Lion
        
        However, you did say that these fruit from spring to fall which is not what Urnula craterium does. It is a spring fruiting only species. Also, the time stamp on Rockefeller's specimens (and yours shown here) is for March which again is in line with Urnula's early spring fruiting. Maybe what you are seeing later in the year is not Urnula but something else. Posted 6 years ago
      2. Flown Kimmerling
        
        Lion
        
        Where did I say that it fruited from spring to fall? I meant early summer (which is more rare-- and I'm not even sure I have any of those documented)! OOOPS! I just realized my mistake there haha! I'm not sure what possessed me to say that? Lack of sleep perhaps! Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago
        
        Gary B
        
        Lion
        
        If you do see any fungi like this one in the later part of the growing season then get a picture and samples. it would be very interesting for sure and probably a new species for JD.
        
        It will be several weeks before I see any new fungi growing (the perennial brackets don't count) here. There is still 2 feet of snow to melt away. I tried walking across a field yesterday to look for fungi on willows. After about 30 minutes of sinking up to my knees, I headed back. But warm weather is promised! Posted 6 years ago

The Devil's urn

"Urnula craterium" is a species of cup fungus in the family Sarcosomataceae. It is parasitic on oak and various other hardwood species; it is also saprobic, as the fruit bodies develop on dead wood after it has fallen to the ground. Appearing in early spring, its distinctive goblet-shaped and dark-colored fruit bodies have earned it the common names devil's urn and the gray urn.

Info 7 0

Similar species: Pezizales

Species identified by Flown Kimmerling

By Flown Kimmerling

Uploaded Feb 25, 2019. Captured Mar 18, 2018 09:59 in 234 Oakman Rd NE, Ranger, GA 30734, USA.

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Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
f/5.6
1/250s
ISO400
60mm

Captured in the winter. More winter photos.